Log rolling apparatus with adjustable friction structure

ABSTRACT

Game equipment employing a horizontal frame adapted to rest upon a suitable horizontal surface and a horizontally elongated roller rotatably disposed in the frame somewhat above the surface. A spongy hollow horizontal cylindrical sleeve is disposed about the roller, the sleeve having an outer surface which resembles the bark of a tree and which is roughened to enable the feet of the players to contact the sleeve surface in a non slip manner. Structure is provided for adjusting the rotational friction of the roller in the frame to adjust the force required to rotate the roller.

United States Patent 1 Klepper et al.

[ 1 June 3, 1975 1 1 LOG ROLLING APPARATUS WITH ADJUSTABLE FRICTIONSTRUCTURE [76] Inventors: John T. Klepper; George Morse,

both of 3303 Quinlan St., Yorktown Heights, NY. 10591 22 Filed: on. 19,1973 21 Appl. No.: 408,121

[52] US. Cl. 272/1 E; 272/D1G. 3 [51] Int. Cl A63b 23/06 [58] Field ofSearch 272/] B, 60 R, 64, 73,

272/D1G. 3, DIG. 4; 64/30 R, 30 C; 188/711, 83, 166; 193/35 A PrimaryExaminer-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerR. T. Stouffer [57] ABSTRACTGame equipment employing a horizontal frame adapted to rest upon asuitable horizontal surface and a horizontally elongated rollerrotatably disposed in the frame somewhat above the surface. A spongyhollow horizontal cylindrical sleeve is disposed about the roller, thesleeve having an outer surface which resembles the bark of a tree andwhich is roughened to enable the feet of the players to contact thesleeve surface in a non slip manner. Structure is provided for adjustingthe rotational friction of the roller in the frame to adjust the forcerequired to rotate the roller.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures LOG ROLLING APPARATUS WITH ADJUSTABLEFRICTION STRUCTURE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My invention is directedtoward a game which is to be played to simulate the sport of log rollingas performed by lumber jacks in the water, but can be played in a safemanner by unskilled players on dry land.

The game is played using equipment which employs a horizontal frameresting upon a suitable horizontal surface and, if necessary, anchoredin place. An elongated horizontal roller is rotatably disposed in theframe somewhat above the surface. A spongy hollow horizontal cylindricalsleeve is disposed about the roller. The sleeve has an outer surfacewhich resembles the bark of a tree and which is roughened to enable thefeet of the players to contact the sleeve surface in a non-skid manner.

When used in a game the equipment can be used by two players whotogether stand on the cylinder and spin it with their feet until oneplayer is thrown off. The other player, of course, wins.

Means are provided to adjust the rotational frictio of the roller in theframe to adjust the force required to rotate the frame and thus adjustthe force required to be exerted by the players to rotate the roller.This adjusts the difficulty of the game. I

One player alone can use the equipment in challenging his own manualdexterity and balancing skills.

The equipment can be used as a therapeutic device to enhance andrehabilitate foot and leg impairments through exercise and also as adirected program to improve equilibrium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an end view thereof; and FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show differentdetail views thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS axle against the inside ofthe thread of end member 12,

this end being in bearing 26.

The other end of the axle extends out of the thread of end member 10. Aknob 22 can be rotated to cause washer 24, pin 38 and washer 27 to moveaxially back and forth along the axle toward and away from end member10. A coil spring 28 disposed on the axle is disposed between washer 24,pin 28, washer 27 and a thick disc 30 having a central hole throughwhich the axle extends.

The adjacent end of the roller has recesses 32 for brass bearing washer34 which is a cone shaped friction disc with flat portion drilled andcentered on 18 with upwardly curved upper end to act as a frictionsurface.

Two washers 24 and 27 are drilled with five equally spaced holes 37 toallow pins 38 to connect them through matching concentric holes inmember 10. Clutch adjustment 22 Works against washers 24 and 27 forcingdisc 3 and friction disc 34 against friction washer 36 controllingroller 16. Disc 30 is permanently secured to the small end of disc 34and both are keyed loosely with three keys spaced apart around axle 18allowing for lateral motion but no circular motion of the friction disc.

The roller is covered by a hollow cylindrical spongy sleeve 38 having arough outer surface 40 resembling bark and adapted to provide a non-skidsurface.

The roller freely rotates but the adjustment of the knob enables therotational friction to be varied as described above.

The game can then be used as previously described.

While we have described our invention with particular reference to thedrawings, such is not to be considered as limiting its actual scope.

Having thus described this invention, what is asserted as new is:

l. A game comprising:

a horizontal frame adapted to rest upon a suitable horizontal surface;

a horizontally elongated roller rotatably disposed about the framesomewhat above the surface, the roller having a horizontal axle;

a spongy hollow horizontal cylindrical sleeve disposed around theroller, the sleeve having an outer surface which resembles the bark of atree and is roughened to enable the feet of the players to contact thesleeve surface in a non-slip manner; and

means to adjust the rotational friction of the roller in the frame toadjust the force required to rotate the roller, the rotational frictionadjustment means including a disc having a hole through which one end ofthe axle extends, spring loaded manually operable means to move the discalong the axle toward or away from one end of the frame and a pluralityof arms secured at one end to the disc and having opposite ends engagingsuitable supports disposed in the one roller end, the arms and supportsbeing symmetrically disposed about the axle.

1. A game comprising: a horizontal frame adapted to rest upon a suitablehorizontal surface; a horizontally elongated roller rotatably disposedabout the frame somewhat above the surface, the roller having ahorizontal axle; a spongy hollow horizontal cylindrical sleeve disposedaround the roller, the sleeve having an outer surface which resemblesthe bark of a tree and is roughened to enable the feet of the players tocontact the sleeve surface in a non-slip manner; and means to adjust therotational friction of the roller in the frame to adjust the forcerequired to rotate the roller, the rotational friction adjustment meansincluding a disc having a hole through which one end of the axleextends, spring loaded manually operable means to move the disc alongthe axle toward or away from one end of the frame and a plurality ofarms secured at one end to the disc and having opposite ends engagingsuitable supports disposed in the one roller end, the arms and supportsbeing symmetrically disposed about the axle.